Wednesday, October 13, 2004

What would Christopher Reeve do?

In three weeks, we will elect a president of the United States. And only
one thing seems certain: Half of America isn't going to feel like celebrating.

I'm sure Christopher Reeve mourned the result of his injury, its effects on
his life and family -- but never did we hear a discouraging word from him.
Viewing his injury as some great challenge, a test of character, he taught us
to see the good in even the most dismal loss.

If your candidate doesn't win the presidency, how will you maintain your
political inspiration, your hope for the future? Will you view it as an
opportunity, the way Reeve transformed his injury from tragedy to triumph?

Will half of America vilify our next president because the election dashed
their hopes? If so, we all will face an even nastier outcome to our already
seething cultural war, a war that's more insidious than the terrorism we are
so determined to defeat.

Such a division can never be healed by demonizing our leaders, whoever they
may be.

As I said
previously, there is a significant number of Bush supporters who will view a
defeat for Bush as the worst of calamities and will willingly succumb to any
smear campaign that the GOP pushes against Kerry after he wins. But there is a
significant number of Kerry supporters who will do likewise if Bush should win.
We must not allow ourselves to fall into that trap. We must, if the worst should
happen, turn defeat into victory. We must not succumb to recriminations and
automatically credit as truth any accusation against Bush. We must instead
redouble our efforts and do better next time.